Vitas gerulaitis

Vitas gerulaitis
Nation:	United States
Birthday:	July 26, 1954
Date of death:	17th September 1994
Size:	183 cm
Resignation:	1986
Playing hand:	Right
Prize money:	$ 2,778,748
singles
Career record:	510: 221
Career title:	25th
Highest ranking:	3 (February 27 1978)
Grand Slam record
Double
Career record:	164: 123
Career title:	8th
Highest ranking:	43 (May 20 1985)
Grand Slam record
Mixed
Grand Slam record
Sources: official player profiles at the ATP / WTA and ITF (see web links )

Vitas Gerulaitis (born July 26, 1954 in Brooklyn , New York City , † September 17, 1994 in Southampton , New York ) was an American tennis player .

His greatest achievement was winning the Australian Open in 1977 when he defeated John Lloyd in five sets in the final . Two years later he reached the final of the US Open , in which he was defeated by John McEnroe in three sets. He lost his third Grand Slam final in 1980 at the French Open against Björn Borg , also in three straight sets. One of his strongest games was the 1977 Wimbledon semi-finals , which he lost to Borg in five sets.

In his career he won a total of 24 ATP tournaments in singles and eight in doubles. He reached his highest ranking in the world rankings in 1978 with 3rd place.

Between 1976 and 1980 he played for the US team in the Davis Cup ; in his 14 games (all singles), he won eleven times.

On September 17, 1994, at the age of 40, he died in a friend's house on Long Island from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by an air conditioning malfunction .

Web links

• ATP profile from Vitas Gerulaitis (English)
• ITF profile Vitas Gerulaitis (English)
• Davis Cup stats by Vitas Gerulaitis (English)